1. Field
The Present Disclosure relates, generally, to a probe connector, and, more particularly, to a probe connector in which the position of the coaxial probe is slightly displaced or deviated when the coaxial plug is either inserted thereto or pulled therefrom.
2. Description of The Related Art
Japanese Utility Model Application No. 60-123666 purports to disclose a coaxial movable contact probe 851 used in an inspection apparatus, as shown in FIG. 16. The coaxial movable contact probe 851 includes a center conductor 852 and an outer conductor 861—having a plain cylindrical shape and surrounding the center conductor 852. As shown in FIG. 17, the probes 851 are held by a movable plate 802, which is movable relative to an inspection target circuit board 801 on which an inspection target Integrated Circuit (“IC”) is mounted. Further, coaxial connectors (“coaxial plugs”) 961 are connected to one end of the probes 851. Each coaxial plug 961 is connected, via a coaxial cable 962, to a measuring circuit board (not shown) on which a signal generator circuit, a comparator, etc. may be mounted. At inspection, the movable plate 802 is moved toward the inspection target circuit board 801 to bring the other ends of the probes 851 into contact with the inspection target circuit board 801. Consequently, the coaxial plugs 961 and the circuit board 801 are connected thereto by the probes 851, thereby coupling the inspection target circuit board 801 and the measuring circuit board. When the coaxial probe 851 of coaxial structure-type is used, the attenuation or reflection of high-frequency components of signals are less likely to occur in the probes. Therefore, an input signal outputted by a signal generator circuit in the measuring circuit board is transferred or transmitted to the inspection target circuit board 801 via the probe 851 as maintaining its waveform satisfactorily. Further, an output signal outputted by the inspection target IC in the inspection target circuit board 801 is transmitted to the measuring circuit board via the probe 851 as maintaining its waveform satisfactorily.
However, the probe 851 of the '666 Application has a plain cylindrical shape and is merely press-fit in a cavity 814 formed in the movable plate 802. Therefore, the probe 851 may be displaced or shifted relative to the movable plate 802 when, for example, the coaxial plug 961 is inserted to or pulled from the probe 851. This causes projection amounts of the probes 851 from the single movable plate 802 to be unequal or non-uniform between the probes 851 which are press-fitted in the single movable plate 802. Therefore, although each of the probes adopts an expansible and contractible probe structure so as to be capable of coming into elastic contact with the inspection target circuit board 801, the contact pressures of the probes 851 with respect to the inspection target circuit board 801 vary between the probes 851. Further, if a range of the variation of the projection amounts becomes great, a range of the variation of the contact pressures between the probes 851 with respect to the inspection target circuit board 801 does not fall within a predetermined high pressure range, and thus a range of variation of contact resistances between the probes 851 with respect to the inspection target circuit board 801 does not fall within a predetermined range.